This time, the bill is up again and it just may have a head of steam now that the Democrats have sole control of both the House and Senate.

At a hearing Monday afternoon, the Oregon Association of County Clerks backed House Bill 2738, which would only list contested races for precinct positions. Candidates would simply be declared elected if no one filed to oppose them.

Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott, speaking for the clerks, said there were only 21 contested races for 17,000 precinct positions around the state. (In fact, Scott said, about 12,600 of those positions had no candidate at all.)

Currently, registered Democrats and Republicans vote in the May primaries of even years on precinct committee positions. The state does not conduct any such elections for the officers of minor parties.

Scott said that keeping the uncontested races off the ballot would reduce both printing costs and the time it takes to count so many of these races. In many cases, they must be hand-counted because the counties have to print a special ballot for the precinct positions and there are so many write-ins.

However, several Republican party activists testified against the bill, including Oregon GOP Chairwoman Suzanne Gallagher. She said the proposal would have the effect of "reducing the visibility of precinct committee people and thereby narrowing access and participation in these posts."

With all of the candidates listed on the ballot, voters have the opportunity to launch their own write-in campaigns, she said. Gallagher and Greg Leo, the executive director of the party, said the bill could be improved by amending it so that public notice is provided over the internet of who has filed for each precinct position.

Brad Martin, executive director of the Democratic Party of Oregon, said his party continues to support the legislation. He said it "obviously reduces the costs of elections," and he said the bill has other useful provisions making it easier for county central committees to appoint precinct workers to vacant spots.

Scott did not offer an estimate on how much the bill would save in elections costs. Two years ago, estimated savings were pegged at about $224,000.SIDE NOTE: HB 2738 would also end the practice of electing a precinct committeeman and committeeman for each 500 voters. Scott said the legislative counsel advised that such gender distinctions are unconstitutional. Instead, they would be called precinct representatives, and there would be one for every 250 voters.